Paralympic Athlete transforms into top Professional cyclist – Monique van der Vorst

van der Vost

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Monique van der Vorst has completed a remarkable transformation — from Paralympic athlete to road racing cyclist with a top professional team.

The 27-year-old Dutch athlete has been signed by the Rabobank women’s team, meaning the former wheelchair and handcycle racer will now line up against elite able-bodied riders.

“My development has been very quick. I never could have imagined one year ago I would be here,” Van der Vorst told The Associated Press. “All the training I did in the last 10 years gives me a good base.”

Van der Vorst lost the use of her legs as a young teenager following ankle surgery. Her drive and determination quickly saw her winning handcycle races and earned her two silver medals in the handcycling road race and time trial at the Beijing Paralympics.

Last year, after a crash in training, she began getting the feeling back in her legs and eventually managed to walk again.

A coach loaned her a bike as Van der Vorst continued her rehabilitation and now she is joining the likes of Marianne Vos — silver medallist in the road race at the world championships in September — in the Rabo team.

“Cycling with arms or legs, tactics, corners are almost the same,” Van der Vorst said.

Van der Vorst said her initial goal is just to keep pace with the peleton in women’s racing, but she has also set her sights on competing in the road race at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“That is my ultimate goal,” Van der Vorst told The Associated Press.

Rabobank team manager Jeroen Blijlevens said Van der Vorst still has much to learn, but believes her presence in the team will motivate the other riders.

“She has the right mentality, willpower. She has proved that in her career in adapted sports,” Blijlevens said. “She wants to race and we are going to support her in that.”

 

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Sea to Stars Cycling Challenge complete results

Sea to Stars Cycling Challenge

49-mile race from Mauna Lani Bay and Bungalows to Mauna Kea visitor center held Sunday

REGULAR DIVISION   1. Eric Lau* 3:23:20 (new course record)

2. Ray Brust 3:29:24              3. Mike Zagorski 3:43:19          4. Anthony Lang 3:50:36

5. Rick Beach 3:53:53            6. Mark Schlicting 4:04:05      7. Ho Wing 4:05:50

8. Michael Angove 4:06:15     9. Penn Henderson 4:07:13       10. Daniel Brown 4:08:22

11. Chris Gregory 4:09:26     12. Tai Scarbrough 4:13:22         13.Rich Bell 4:19:00

14. Carl Brooks 4:19:52        15. Daniel Miller 4:22:40              16. Steve Landblad 4:24:37

17. Aaron Daly 4:29:00           18. Alan Eriksson 4:33:30            19. Brian Denaro 4:37:38

20. Rani Tanimoto 4:39:09      21. Mike Abbot 4:54:53               22. Cody Bergfalk 5:04:06

23. Todd Maronnic 5:05:18      24. Michael Decarli 5:17:27       25. Patrick McLain 5:21:33

26. Charles Breadtke 5:21:36    27. Lyda Liu 5:25:13                28. Kawika Singson 5:39:55

MOUNTAIN BIKE DIVISION  1, William McMahon 5:25:35   2. Julie Earp 4:42:50

Pedal Till Ya Puke has numerous swimmers – Full Results

Pedal Till Ya Puke  August 7, 2011 Held Sunday in Kailua-Kona    NAME DIVISION TIME

Lucas Azevedo 25-29 21:08   Fernando Villanova 25-29 21:11   Leonardo Pereira 25-29 21:19

Grant Uekawa 15-19 21:47   Noe Vargas 20-24 22:11   Kylie Burgess 15-19 22:13

Madison-Gail Hauanio 15-19 22:19   Ren Kuwaye-Tamanaha 15-19 22:27   Nakana Rivera 30-34 22:39

Kaiea Cann 15-19 22:53   Jeff Maki 35-39 22:56   Mark Noetzel 45-49 23:07

Madisyn Uekawa 15-19 23:34   Merceda Rivera 25-29 23:39   James McCleery 65-69 23:43

Jessica Kirkwood 25-29 23:47   Akemi King 15-19 23:50   Kinney Gandall 15-19 23:58

Bradley Keoki Young 20-24 23:59   Jim Mellon 45-49 24:24  Teddy Uekawa 10-14 24:26

Kepa Weller 15-19 24:27   Brian Zaborski 20-24 24:36   Sarina Wyrick 10-14 24:41

Susan Groff 45-49 24:56   Jacob Williams 15-19 25:15   Akila Weber 15-19 26:10

Likeke Sawyer 25-29 26:12   Jim Budde 65-69 26:14   Uluboy Napeahi 10-14 26:17

Phillip Kissinger 25-29 26:23   Rob Van Geen 45-49 26:53   Riley Young 25-29 27:07

Jessica Hartong 25-29 27:19   Kaleo Jack 15-19 27:20   Bodhi Whitmore under 10 27:22

 Ron Whitmore 40-44 27:26   Alfred Kent 55-59 27:57   Robert Belcher 55-59 28:15

Jermaine Estabilio 30-34 28:17   Sara Hussey 35-39 28:21   Mark Grant 25-29 28:23

Lauren Solodky 25-29 28:31   Aleja Rivera 35-39 28:32   Teagan Rutkowski 10-14 28:34

Nolan Yamaki 30-34 28:36   Kaili Roach 20-24 28:41   Yoko Hayano 45-49 28:44

Susan Cordell 45-49 28:52   Kara Paulachak 15-19 29:00   Kai White 35-39 29:16

Stan Cann 55-59 29:41   Ricci Bezona 45-49 29:43   Gary Myers 55-59 29:44

Steve Dailey 55-59 29:57   Erin Gallagher 45-49 30:11   Sam Martin-Ekings 55-59 30:12

Aaron Castillo 30-34 30:13   Mark Golden 50-54 30:15   Xanthe Smith 45-49 30:16

Melissa Harmeling 30-34 30:20   Kailani Carpenter 50-54 30:22   Rebecca Mansfield 30-34 30:28

Rob Lee 35-39 30:32   Peter Mott 60-64 30:33   Griffith Yamaguchi 55-59 30:34

Bill Sakovich 65-69 30:36   Donald Jack 50-54 30:37   Jim Haefner 60-64 30:39

Lauren Kerr 15-19 30:43   Kelsey Kumiji 30-34 30:49   Ron Hagg 60-64 30:54

Jennifer Randall 40-44 31:00   G:A: Rock 60-64 31:06   Helie Rock 55-59 31:08

Gerard Callo 45-49 31:09   Jim Kraus 60-64 31:23   Richard Kerr 15-19 31:25

Tom Goltz 65-69 31:29   Lee Otani 55-59 31:32   Israel Gonzales 40-44 31:34

Don Perea 40-44 31:35   Nicole Paulachak 15-19 31:37   Brian Smith 50-54 31:47

Jarett Waipa 20-24 32:24   Norman Uchida 60-64 32:26   Andrea Hess 40-44 32:28

Paul Kekela 25-29 32:31   Syd Zoll 20-24 32:33   Mike Donahoe 60-64 32:41

Barret Schlegelmilch 20-24 33:08   Jean Sakovich 65-69 33:09   Kapua Sawyer 30-34 33:12

Rebecca Ostertag 40-44 33:17   Sarah Marshall 35-39 33:18   Diana Machado 40-44 33:19

Dennis Osier 70-and-over 33:20   Charles Keane 55-59 33:24   Tamar Elias 50-54 33:26

Joanne Berryman 55-59 33:32   Daniel Berg 55-59 33:37   Daniel Hartong 25-29 33:41

Richard Oehlman 55-59 33:42   Sandy Schuffler 55-59 33:44   Mike Fairchild 50-54 33:45

Chad Marote 50-54 33:49   Trent Hanzawa 25-29 33:51   Lisa Soares 45-49 33:53

Michelle Ross 45-49 33:55   Fuzzy Faridi 50-54 33:58   Weston Willard 30-34 34:06

Emma Laliberte under 10 34:15   Lisa Akane 55-59 34:16   Jeffery Case 50-54 34:17

Tia Anthony-Case 25-29 34:19   Kimia Hangafarin 15-19 34:20   Jan Wilson 55-59 34:30

Christina Dhillon 45-49 34:32   Jo Duerksen 50-54 34:37   Helen Wong Smith 50-54 34:47

Jeff Girdner 50-54 34:54   Keoni Fujitani 55-59 35:03   Eva Naniole 55-59 35:16

Helena Brandfors 35-39 35:25   Dariush Hangafarin 15-19 35:27   Gary Bartolome 65-69 35:28

Samson Castillo 25-29 35:33   Roland Laliberte 40-44 35:34   Christine McMahan 25-29 35:39

Sage Barcia 15-19 35:44   Calvin Serain 35-39 35:53   Kekoa Harmon 30-34 35:56

Adolf Camblor 55-59 35:57   Chloe Hughes under 10 36:15   Flint Hughes 45-49 36:19

Sheareen Gedayloo 50-54 36:3   Alexander Cyran 50-54 36:32   Michael Blankenbecler 60-64 36:34

Mary Bowman-DeMent 55-59 36:38   Naolionalani Weller 20-24 36:48   Laura Schuster 55-59 36:54

Elizabeth Oberhausen 25-29 36:56   James McKeague 60-64 37:01   Andrew Layus 40-44 38:04

Kevin Lubbess 40-44 38:05   Elise Kerr 45-49 38:06   Claudine Fujii 55-59 38:16

Shadi Faridi 25-29 38:25   Heanu Weller 55-59 38:53   Steve Zoll 55-59 38:59 Mo Mathews 70-and-over 39:01

Jesse Fourmy 35-39 39:36   Kathy Williamson 50-54 39:38   Annette Schlegelmilch 50-54 39:39

Jennifer Orr 30-34 39:45   Chian Hsu 40-44 39:46   Bath Mariah 50-54 39:48

Christine Jimenez 50-54 39:57   Jessie Veriato 55-59 39:58   Susan Poai 60-64 40:22

Brian Yannutz 20-24 40:33   Jolani Shrinski 55-59 40:42   Barry Webster 60-64 40:43

Nick Balingit 70-and-over 40:45   Pohaikealoha Kyota 25-29 41:53   Jamie Brinkman 45-49 42:02

Christian Junge 25-29 42:27   Margaret Serain 60-64 42:42   Mike Ben 60-64 42:45

Cathy Ogino-Williams 50-54 43:06   Eve Teeter-Balin 25-29 43:17   Paula Anthony 60-64 43:25

Jaelyn Estabilio 10-14 43:37   Kelaukila “Ua” Estabilio 30-34 44:15  Pomai Wela 55-59 44:17

Misae Wela 55-59 44:33   Paul Patnode 70-and-over 45:41   Shauna Tuohy 50-54 45:46

Bob Williams 70-and-over 45:52   Jeff Sutton 50-54 46:07   Renata Gallagher 45-49 46:42

Bob Wilkins 70-and-over 46:54   Stan Roehrig 70-and-over 48:06   Pele Harmon 30-34 48:18

Virginia Stein 55-59 50:4   Patricia Richardson 70-and-over 51:30   Stephanie Solla 20-24 52:42

Mary Hudak 60-64 54:38

Freak Accident Kills Professional Spanish Cyclist Tondo

Spanish cyclist Xavier Tondo died Monday in a freak accident while at a ski resort in southern Spain.

Tondo, 32, was in his car preparing to leave a Sierra Nevada resort apartment building when he got out of the vehicle and was crushed between the car and an automatic garage door.

The manager of his Movistar team says that Tondo was heading to training with Benat Intxausti, another professional cyclist, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

According to reports Tondo and Intxausti were heading to the Sierra Nevada mountain range outside of Granada to train with Alejandro Valverde.

Last month, Tondo won the Tour of Castilla y Leon, and last year he placed sixth overall in the Tour of Spain. Tondo turned professional in 2003, and according to the Spanish cycling federation, Tondo won 14 races in his career.

Tondo informed authorities about a doping ring after he was offered banned substances.

A funeral for Xavier Tondo is scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 25.

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Jessica Kirkwood Offers Bike Safety Tips

Hilo Bike Hub employee, Jessica Kirkwood, wrote the following story on Safety while riding you bike:

Why do people ride bikes? For exercise, for freedom, to feel like a kid again, to reduce their carbon footprint? Or perhaps it’s the easiest way to get from point A to point B, to avoid traffic and save money on gas? Whatever an individual’s motivation to ride, it is no doubt that the most common result is an increased sense of wellbeing.

Bike commuters, including many UH Hilo students, along with recreational and fitness cyclists, need to be armed with knowledge about cycling to feel safe on the streets and trails, but more importantly, to enjoy the ride.

“Educated bicyclists lead by example,” said Chris Seymour, a UH Hilo Hawaiian language student and owner of the Hilo Bike Hub. “When more cyclists are riding safely, wearing protective gear and signaling correctly, more cyclists will follow suit.”

Seymour, whose bicycle shop has been in business for almost 18 years, has been riding bikes on Big Island roads and trails for over 25 years. “I’ve probably ridden over 200,000 miles on this island to date,” he said.

Although Seymour has noticed an increase in cyclists on Big Island streets over the years, he’s also noticed an increase in bike-related accidents.

Statistically, according to the League of American Bicyclists, the most car-bike accidents occur due to cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road.

“The best advice I can offer is to ride your bike like you would drive your car,” offers Seymour. “Being predictable is the biggest precaution a cyclist can make. When I ride predictably, respectfully, and intelligently, cars almost always give me the right of way.”

Dr. Mike Tanabe is a professor of plant science, and also teaches the Kinesiology 117 course on mountain biking at UH Hilo. The course is offered every semester on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Developed by Tanabe himself in the fall of 1993, he has now taught it for 34 consecutive semesters.

“At the time the course was first offered, the Intercollegiate Mountain Biking Association told me that it was probably the only course of its kind offered at the college level,” he said.

Tanabe’s main goal is to empower students by becoming safer cyclists.

According to Tanabe, the most common cycling rules that students are not aware of upon entering his class are: to ride with the flow of traffic, to obey the same laws as motorists, and to be careful when using the front brake while riding down steep hills. The first two align directly with those that Seymour emphasizes.

   

• Wear a helmet.

• At night use both a front and back light.

• Use the rightmost lane that heads in the direction you are traveling.

• Obey all traffic control devices, including stop signs, lights and lane markings.

• Always look back and use hand and arm signals to indicate your intention to stop, merge or turn.

• Have your bike safety-checked by a professional.